Megaman X: Never Turn Back
by The Burning Hunter
Summary: Mizuno Ami, thrown from peaceful world and into the chaotic world of Reploids, attemtps to comfort her close friend and commander, Ben Edgar, before their units first mission.


Well this was my entry in the Nsider Olympics Fanfiction event and amazingly it took first and after a few spelling a grammatical fixes I'm putting it here too. For those of you wondering what about my ToS story, yes I'm working on it, though it's gotten much longer than I originally thought. Anyway a little background on this fic.

This takes place in the Megaman X world however this fic is a crossover of sorts. It depicts a scene between Ben Edgar, my own original character, and Ami Mizuno, fro Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon. Now I won't tell why she's here, you'll have to read to find that out yourself. Also X and Zero are mentioned briefly but do not appear, sorry but I really have wanted to do something like this for a long time. Now onto the disclaimers!

Megaman X and all related characters, terms, and anything else I've forgotten is copyright Capcom.  
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon, characters, terms, and anything else I forgot is copyright Naoko Takeuchi.  
Ben Edgar, The 32nd unit, this story and its plot belong to me and no one else. I ask that you respect my creation and not take it as your own.

This fic is rated G and is approved for all audiences.  
Now sit back and enjoy this piece of literature which is product of my crazy and insane mind and remember...

Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon is world queen!

Megaman X: Never Turn Back

By

The Burning Hunter

She thought she would find him here, if he wasn't on the training grounds with his unit he was in his lab. He didn't move or give any acknowledgement as to her presence, but Ami Miznuno, Vice-commander of the 32nd unit of Maverick Hunters, knew her commander, her partner, her friend and companion, Ben Edgar, sensed her.

Ami was what most would consider a cute girl, her short sapphire hair matched her eyes perfectly and gave her a somewhat boyish, yet feminine look. She wasn't a tall girl standing at only 5' 2" but what she lacked in size she made up for in her mind and heart.

As she entered the lab where the two of them worked in their spare time Ben's deep voice stopped her. "What are you doing here? You should already be at the site." Ami frowned slightly hearing Ben speak to her. It wasn't what he said, but how he said it. His voice, while somewhat strong and commanding showed fear and worry. This was their first mission as Hunters, the first time almost any one in their unit would see real combat.

"I came to check on you…" He said nothing and did nothing, not even sigh as he looked down at his desk. Steeling her nerves Ami decided to cut to the quick. She knew exactly what was bothering him. He was worried about his unit, of every single unit at MHHQ the 32nd not only was the newest it also was 'the most ridiculous unit ever formed' in the words of Zero Omega, leader of the special stealth #0 Unit and legendary Maverick Hunter. Ben and Zero were actually pretty good friends, but sometimes the bishouen could be so tactless. Then again it was hard to deny the truth, when Ben presented his choices to Dr. Cain, the head of the Maverick Hunters he had to ask Ben if he was joking. Ben was given very few choices, but his final choices would make even a common person on the street raise their eyebrows. Almost none of them had any combat experience nor were any of the Reploids in the selection military grade, and there was even a human in the mix. Even Megaman X, the savior and father of all Reploids as he was sometimes called, had his doubts about this. It was a long uphill battle, but eventually Ben had gotten approval and the unit was formed. That was six months ago… however now, on New Years Eve, the 32nd was called into action against a minor threat as most of the "Police" units were given the day off. Cain had also complained that the 32nd wasn't pulling it's weight, by the third month a unit was active, Ben's had been given double that time, now it was time for them to work or be disbanded and his people discharged.

Ami shook her head slightly then stood straight and tall, trying to look and act the part of a second in command "Commander, we need to leave now." Ben finally sighed and hunched his shoulders, his head heavy.

"You don't get it Ami... I'm afraid... What if we don't come back? What if something happens? I couldn't live knowing not only had I stranded us in this chaotic world, but that I was also responsible for your death." Ami sighed and walked over placing her hands on his shoulders. She knew exactly what he was talking about. Ben and her were not from this world, no their home was in past, namely Juuban, Japan, 1996. Ben was actually from the United States and was a foreign exchange student who attended her high school. The two became close friends after Ben tried to protect her from a gang of jealous students and got hurt in the process. Ami herself has been in many life or death situations as she was secretly Sailormercury, one of the 10 Sailor Senshi, a group of magical girls who protected the Earth from attackers from different planets and even dimensions. Despite this though Ami often said she owed Ben her life, she could only use her abilities if she transformed, and she couldn't do that in public, however there were other examples of how he had protected her, namely her current Reploid form.

Things had started out innocently enough, Ben and her were staying in the chemistry lab after school as Ami was helping him study and finish up some experiments so he could pass his upcoming midterm, when he grabbed a vial of some unknown chemical and mixed it with the current concoction, the resulting chemical reaction had caused a massive explosion, and when the pair awoke they found themselves in the very same lab, except it was completely ruined and underground. After escaping the two came to learn they had been thrown into the future, however careful research pointed Ami to suggest it was also another dimension, there was no mention of the Senshi at all. Ben blamed himself for the accident, claiming he had gotten too sure of himself and disregarded her safety. Ami however doubted it, whatever he had mixed in with the experiment wasn't natural, just before the explosion she could feel something… she wasn't sure what but something.

Things got worse however, Ami learned that she could no longer transform in Sailormercury, nor could they find a way home. If it hadn't been for the kindness of a retired researcher, Nicholas Finch, the two probably would have died on the street as they had no identification and no one would believe them. He was able to get them jobs in MHHQ, Ben was a technician and Ami was a navigator. Still however things got worse when Sigma, the Maverick King, decided to show his face once again and with a new biological weapon which he decided to test out on Ami. Ben went rouge and stole some weapons and fashioned an experimental armor, which gave him abilities akin to that of a Reploid, he was branded a Maverick after an incident at a weapons warehouse resulted in the death of 5 hunters. Ben was given the title "The Burning Maverick" by one of the survivors, even though he had attempted to save the hunters and had nothing to do with their deaths.

The most painful part however still had yet to come. Upon reaching Sigma's stronghold, along with X and Zero, Ben had come face to face with Ami… and was forced to fight her. The details were still fuzzy, but from what Ami could remember she was glad she couldn't remember everything. The end result was the death of her body, yet Ben was able to save her mind using a technology she had been developing. It converted a person's brain patterns into a Reploid control chip. While Ami had drawn out the plans Ben had built the device and essentially saved her life, the cost had been great though, shortly after Ben had sacrificed his own body to take revenge for Ami and give X and Zero a fighting chance. He was later revived as a Reploid along with Ami, but no one trusted him. That was 5 years ago, now however Ami had come to terms with the current fact that they were stuck in this world, and she believed they would return home one day, together, but as Ben told her once "This world is in crisis, if we stand by and do nothing, knowing we can, aren't we as guilty as the people causing this?" For a moment there Ami was almost reminded of Usagi Tsukino, Sailormoon, her princess and her leader, and she knew he was right, they had to help, just like they needed to right now.

"Ben… none of this is your fault you need to let go of it, I don't blame you at all." Ben said nothing his body very still almost as if he wasn't even alive. "Listen… I know it's difficult, I still cry myself to sleep sometimes because I miss my mom… my friends… but I've learned to cherish those times, and I use it to remind me that I will see them again one day, I'm sure of it." She paused, the next words she wanted to say stuck to her throat, it was hard, but she knew she needed to say them. "I sometimes wake up… seeing parts of the battle with you…" That got his attention, Ben suddenly stiffened that fight was easily the most painful thing he had ever done in his life and Ami knew it. "I still don't understand what exactly happened… but I've learned to put it behind me and move on and never turn back..." She looked at the back of his head with her gentle and caring eyes as she lightly squeezed his shoulders. "I don't mean you should forget what has happened, you should never throw away your memories, but learn from them and move on, don't let them hold you down." Ami continued to watch him, and after a few moments of silence Ben, her closest friend spoke, his voice slightly shaky.

"Do… Do you really believe... we'll get home?" Ami smiled softly and lightly hugged him resting her chin on his shoulder.

"I know it." She could see the corner of his mouth turn up slightly in a small smile, a moment later he stood and turned, towering over her at 6'4". His black messy hair giving him a boyish look, his brown eyes were moist and from the stains on his cheeks it was obvious he had been crying. She lifted a hand and gently wiped away some of the wetness on his cheek. "Now come on, like Zero said, you are no longer 'The Burning Maverick', you are now 'The Burning Hunter'." Ben smiled softly, a small barely noticeable blush on his cheeks as he straightened himself out and recalled his armor, which appeared on his body. He then nodded at Ami, his face serious.

"Let's go, we've got a world to protect." A moment later he warped out, headed for the battle ground and Ami couldn't help but feel a little pride in seeing how much the shy and quiet young boy she had known when they first met had grown in a brave and intelligent young man, and she was proud to call him her commander, and just like she knew he would, she would never turn back. She would keep moving towards the future and the day where she would be reunited with those she loved and cared about.


End file.
